Publications by authors named "Dana Hawkins"

Background: Childhood melanocytic tumors represent a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge, and additional research is needed to better define the natural history of these tumors.

Methods: The authors developed a comprehensive, prospective registry called Molecular Analysis of Childhood Melanocytic Tumors for children and adolescents with an atypical Spitz tumor/Spitz melanoma (AST/SM), conventional or adult-type melanoma (CM), melanoma arising in a giant congenital nevus (MCM), or atypical melanocytic proliferation of other types (OT) to better define the clinical behavior of these lesions by incorporating an integrated clinicopathologic and molecular analysis using centralized pathology review and various platforms, including fluorescence in situ hybridization; array comparative genomic hybridization; and whole genome, exome, and capture targeted panels.

Results: From May 2016 to November 2019, 70 children were enrolled with a median age at diagnosis of 9.

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Article Synopsis
  • Talazoparib was studied in combination with irinotecan, with or without temozolomide, in a phase I trial for pediatric patients with recurrent or resistant solid tumors, particularly Ewing sarcoma.
  • The trial involved 41 patients, revealing a response rate of 10.3% for arm A (talazoparib + irinotecan) and 25% for arm B (talazoparib + irinotecan + temozolomide), with common toxicities including neutropenia and thrombocytopenia.
  • Pharmacokinetic analysis showed no drug interactions between talazoparib and irinotecan, while SLFN11 positivity correlated with better treatment responses.
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We have recently reported that photoinduced ligation of ZnS-overcoated quantum dots (QDs) offers a promising strategy to promote the phase transfer of these materials to polar and aqueous media using multidentate lipoic acid (LA)-modified ligands. In this study we investigate the importance of the underlying parameters that control this process, in particular, whether or not photoexcited QDs play a direct role in the photoinduced ligation. We find that irradiation of the ligand alone prior to mixing with hydrophobic QDs is sufficient to promote ligand exchange.

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Background: Gefitinib potently inhibits neuroblastoma proliferation in vitro, and the gefitinib/irinotecan combination shows greater than additive activity against neuroblastoma xenografts. This Phase II pilot study estimated the rate of response to two courses of intravenous irinotecan plus oral gefitinib in children with untreated high-risk neuroblastoma.

Methods: Two courses of irinotecan [15 mg/m(2)/day (daily ×5)×2] were combined with 12 daily doses of gefitinib (112.

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Purpose: We conducted a phase I trial of the injectable formulation of topotecan given orally once daily for 5 days for 2 consecutive weeks (qd x 5 x 2) in pediatric patients with refractory solid tumors.

Patients And Methods: Cohorts of two to six patients received oral topotecan at 0.8, 1.

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